IBAN

The name survives in the modern Ván. St. Martin, the historian of Armenia (Mém. sur l'Armenie, vol. i. p. 117), says that, according to native traditions, Ván is a very ancient city, the foundation of which was attributed to Semiramis. Ruined in course of time, it was rebuilt by a king called Van, who lived a short time before the expedition of Alexander the Great, and who gave it his name; but, having again fallen into decay, it was restored by Vagh-Arshag (Valarsases), brother to Arsases, and first king of Armenia of the race of the Arsasidae.
In the middle of the 4th century after Christ it was captured by Sapor II. (Ritter, Erdkunde, vol. ix. pp. 787, 981; London Geog. Journal, vol. viii. p. 66.) [ARTEMITA BUANA.]